THE ASSASSINATION OF THE DUCE OF ITALY

(29TH JULY 1883 – 28TH APRIL 1945)

SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY:Dr. Shveta Dhaliwal Trishita Das Gupta Roll 570 Group 10

BENITO AMILCARE ANDREA MUSSOLINI

“All within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state” as a Fascist…..

“Let’s have a dagger between our teeth, a bomb in our hands and an infinite scorn in

our hearts” as a born fighter…..

“Blood alone moves the wheels

of history” as a man of the trenches….

WHO WAS THE DUCE?

The duce was actually Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini who was born on 29th july,1883 in Predappio Province of Italy.

An Italian politician. Led the Nationalist Fascist party. Mussolini’s spouses:• Ida Dalser• Rachele Mussolini

Continued…..

• Edda Mussolini• Anna Maria Mussolini• Vittorio Mussolini• Bruno Mussolini• Romano Mussolini By profession, he was a politician, journalist and novelist.

FASCISM – MUSSOLINI’S IDEOLOGY

Mussolini founded Italian fascism. After returning from the first world war, he had

decided that socialism as a doctrine had been a failure.

In 1917,he got his start in politics. In 1918,Mussolini called for the emergence of a

man “ruthless and energetic enough to make a clean sweep” to revive the Italian nation. Fascism supported nationalist sentiments such as a strong unit, regardless of class.

Failure of the assassination attempts on mussolini

He was slightly wounded when he was shot by Violet Gibson, an Irish woman and her daughter Baron Ashbourne on 7th April,1926.

On 31st October, 15 year old Anteo Zamboni attempted to shoot Mussolini in Bologna.

Mussolini also survived a failed assassination in Rome by Gino Lucetti

CONTINUED……

He also survived another assassination which was planned by an American anarchist Michael Schirru

Members of Trieste,Istria,Gorizia and Reka (TIGR), a Slovene anti fascist group

had also failed in it’s attempt to assassinate Mussolini

MUSSOLINI’S ASSASSINATION Mussolini and his mistress, Clara Petacii,

were stopped by communist partisans Valerrio and Bellini on 27th April,1945,near the village of Dong

They were headed for Switzerland to board a plane to escape to Spain

They were brought to Messegra where they spent their last night in the house of the De Maria family.

The next day, Mussolini & Petacii were both executed, along with most of the others in their 15-man train

CONTINUED… This took place in Givlino Di Messegra The assassinator or rather, the last shooter was colonel Valerrio, real name Walter Audisio Audisio was the communist partisan

commander who was ordered to kill Mussolini by the national Liberation Committee.

When Audisio entered the room in which the fascists were held, he announced that

he had come to rescue them. He then loaded them into transports and drove for a short distance.

CONTINUED….

Audisio ordered them to get down. Shots were fired and Petacii fell down. Audisio shot Mussolini in the chest Mussolini fell down but did not die Audisio went near & shot one bullet in his chest That was the end of the Italian Duce.

CONCLUSION

Mussolini was the picturesque figure in all Italy. As a man, he was unique. As a leader, he is not to be compared. He had his country in the palm of his hand, to crush if he pleased, to save if he wanted. He was the organizer and builder of Italy. He was not a cultured man. But he was a born fighter, a man for the trenches.

Mussolini was a very dynamic human force whose luck betrayed him towards the end of his life. And it can be concluded that he got back what he gave…..

REFERENCES

• www.wikipedia.com visited on 10th August,2010• Stan Swinton, The execution of Mussolini – Reporter’s

eye witness account of the death of fascism and the birth and growth over a decade of a ne Italy, Milwaukee journal,25 th April 1955, pg 7

• www.moreorless.au.com/killers/mussolini.html visited on 23rd August,2010

• www.notablebiographies.com/Mo-Ni/Mussolini-Benito visited on 3rd September,2010

• www.finestquotes.com visited on 8th September,2010